The present invention generally relates to vehicle corporate badge and fascia designs, and more specifically, to badge and fascia designs compatible with radar systems.
Adaptive cruise control systems (ACC) are used in automotive vehicles to provide drivers with enhanced features including controlling the vehicle speed, and maintaining a safe-distance with a vehicle ahead, thus also maintaining a desired speed, and at times accelerating the vehicle under clear lane conditions, or decelerating it on sudden detection of a vehicle in front. Most of these systems use radars for measuring the distance of the vehicle in front, and its relative speed, and, if required, the directional angle of the front vehicle. Radar systems emit and receive electromagnetic waves, specifically radio waves, which have low penetration capabilities within the metallic/chrome materials commonly used in automotive emblems or badges. Therefore, the exact location for mounting the automotive badges with respect to the radar systems is crucial, and is driven by many parameters. One concern is to retain the stylish and aesthetic appeal of the vehicle front, and thus, the automotive radar systems are typically mounted behind fascia material to make them invisible to the customers. This also keeps their functionality substantially unaffected by environmental factors. Another concern is with how compatible is the radar with the fascia material and the badge that is mounted on the fascia. The fascia and the badge can intercept the emitted and received radar beams, and this interception could obstruct the radar beams, especially if the badge is made of any metallic material, or if the badge is not otherwise designed to support the radar beams.
Attempts have been made by automotive companies to develop radar compatible badges that are substantially flat, and non-metallic, so that the radar beams pass through them with minimal interruption. However, due to constraints like maintaining the styled appearance, size and aesthetic appeal of some vehicle emblems or badges, some manufacturers' badges/logos are not easily designed to be compatible with radar beams. Further, certain designs of corporate badges or logos like, for instance, the Lincoln badge, require a three-dimensional raised mountable surface. Designing such a badge to make it compatible with radar beams is difficult.
Therefore, there exists a need for a unique design of a corporate badge and fascia that can be positioned within the radar beam projection and still be functional within the radar system.